How Can Softer Arms Create More Power? - Drilling for Freedom - by Daniel Lee

How can Softer Arms Create More Power?

Odds are, if you have ever asked yourself, “am I too tense?” the answer is YES! In the golf swing, the natural human instinct at any age is to draw back and then use muscle to pull down and strike at the ball (a video on why you should not pull with the left arm in the golf swing is here). This results in a few different negative consequences, none that you want in your swing if your goal is to become a better golfer and develop a swing that will last a lifetime.

First off, the 3rd Law of Motion, states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. In this case, the pull towards the ball automatically creates a plane change. When you pull down, your weight will shift back to your hind foot and into your toes causing the “over the top move”.

If you understand how alignment is a function of the ball's relativity to your axis (center of gravity) you will see how this can cause for inconsistencies in alignment as well, regardless of where your feet are pointing. One of the great assets to playing with soft arms is that it will not only free up your rotation but will give you a sense of feel throughout your swing that can only be described as....effortless.

Many of the Gravity Golf drills can help you develop soft arms through the downswing.  Try some variations of the 1 arm golf drills to feel where you are adding tension into the arms.  Once you can control the ball well with the left arm and the right arm independently, you will be well on your way to having softer arms and a greater transfer of power through the golf ball as well as more consistency.

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How Can Softer Arms Create More Power? - Mastering Golf - by David Lee

How Softer Arms Can Create More Power

Sadly, for golfers all over the world, almost everyone begins by swinging the golf club incorrectly.  The instinct that most players have when they start the down-swing is to flex the shoulders and arms in an attempt to strike the ball.

When a player tightens his or her arms in the down-swing in an effort to create power, it normally has a negative effect on core-speed and distance because most individuals do it too early.  Players that use counter-fall and core mass rotation to “sling” their arms, usually create more power than tight-armed players, and do it with far less effort.

At the completion of the back-swing, if the counter-fall goes deep enough, and the arms start down in a state of total dead-fall, a very gentle turn will create great speed in the arms.  There is a “symbiotic” relationship between the counter-fall depth and the falling arms that allow power to be enabled instead of forced.  Most players never feel how easily this can be achieved because they have flexed their arms and shoulders at the start of the down-swing in every swing they have ever made, and instantly kill the body’s ability to sling the arms with minimal effort.

The best way to develop sensitivity to the impropriety of flexing the shoulders and arms at the start of the down-swing, is to practice the Gravity golf cross-footed, one-armed drills.  It becomes instantly apparent that flexing is not the answer, and you begin to feel how to use counter-fall and mass rotation for power.  Most players, once they know how to apply power correctly, will use no more than one-half their former effort, to move the ball significantly farther.

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